Kamal Parajuli

You cannot imagine the exuberance migrant labourers display the day they are going to be paid. “It is a stampede,” you would exclaim if you happen to view the evening spectacle. No sooner the bus ferrying them from job-site halts they pour out and make a dash for the Exchange House. The slowest ones know they have to fork out an extra hour.

The wage is paid through prepaid cards linked to salary accounts maintained with ubiquitous Exchange Houses. Those very institutions also deal in remittance and foreign exchange. Lately, even banks have entered the fray with similar wage solutions.

Those labourers who are familiar with Cash Dispensing Machine (CDM) planted at the premise of Exchange House could simply line up and withdraw. But, many still struggle with the process-flow while others are unaware of their pin codes rendering those machines futile.

There, however, are alternatives. They could let teller swipe their cards. But it also entails getting copies of their identification paper first. Though the service is provided freely at the branch it adds to the number of times one has to queue -- often thrice. When their turns finally come up, point-of-sale (POS) machine could decline payment for lack of fund. The significance of a company and its financial strength can be gauged by how early and consistently it disburses salaries.

Beginning toward Gregorian month end, wages are released until the second week of next month. Fortunately, with better accounting at the employers’ end, deployment of faster process at Exchange Houses, and stronger regulation, hit-and-miss with salary distribution has diminished dramatically. Based on the POS receipt, the teller issues a salary slip. The labourers, then file themselves at cash counter.
The migrants count and count again the cash they are handed -- their compensation for a month-long work. It accords them the greatest pleasure, arguably climax. Unfortunately, the euphoria generated by change in ownership of cash does not get to linger long.

Techies can be labelled ‘harbingers of destruction’ when they incessantly talk of need to kill cash. One payment industry professional went as far as to claim the cost of handling cash for small business owners is above 3 per cent. That is identical to what MasterCard or Visa charge for payments made through their credit cards. Though he stopped short of advocating plastics his disdain for cash was evident.

So, when ‘experts’ regularly put forward umpteen plans to displace cash, I feel they have not witnessed the psychological bond between reimbursement in cash and spike in satisfaction among poor labourers. As such, they are sadists for decimating a rare legit source of gratification. In contrary, Exchange Houses dealing in ‘archaic’ cash by default sound like purveyors of delight.

As for the tellers it is a day to forget. The only problem is there would many so. Making payment is always fraught with risk as they have to verify customers and disburse exact amounts. Add to it melee of eager but obtuse recipients and some spillover of frustration is inevitable. The tellers have to be literally loud at times just to maintain a semblance of order. But what is endearing is both sides seem to have embraced it as a part of their lives. And at the end of day no side harbours ill feelings towards another.

In contrast, those having better jobs also have luxury of time. They arrive at their convenience with smug grin on their face. And the discrepancy in salary could not be any greater. The first thing they try to find is the in-charge. It smacks of need to validate their superiority and bolster their self-esteem but I believe it has more to do with relationship management. Given the precariousness of modern-day job market you never know when who will come handy. And the expectations run both ways.

And, what do migrants do with their salary? Their trip to accommodation is perhaps the one that calls for toughest decisions. Mind is besieged with unlimited wants vying for limited resources. There are friends to repay; bills to settle and a family back home to remit.

Grocery is the lifeline: due have to be cleared to facilitate new cycle. Mess is necessity when you share kitchen but usage time overlaps: the cost has to be divided among members. Internet has become must and so has mobile phone: those services have to be topped up. Travel card cannot be ignored either: it has to be loaded for occasional trips to city centre. Then there is trouser and T-shirt to replace; that could wait though.

The day after tomorrow is Friday - weekend. It is the only chance to catch up with old friends. But, Friday with friends is the culprit that throws even meticulously planned budget awry. You either end up watching movie or having an expensive meal and what not. There always will be more means to spend than earn.

Migrant are here to earn livelihood for their families who are anxiously checking calendar back home. Consumption of packaged stuffs has shot up and so has the grocery bill. It is less than five days to deadline for school fee of daughter. Rent is already in arrears. Medical treatment for parents is imminent. And if there is any saving, it will go toward the purchase of house – an elusive dream amidst skyrocketing properties price. Trust me; the needs back home take precedent.

The migrants remit within a day or two of collecting salary forcing selves to survive on the leftover. Should it not be the other way round? Bother asking some and they will say their family is the priority while bread and water for themselves take the backseat. It is a real tearjerker.

Living a prolonged detached life, migrant labourers sustain massive psychological shock over time. But they still wish to persevere. “Home is not a home, when you do not have income,” sounds good enough for a hip-hop but it really distills their predicament. Whatever, it buttresses the importance of having a job if you live under capitalism. But if you have to fly abroad in search of one, then, it also means you cannot stay with your family either.

 Published on: 27 July 2019 | The Rising Nepal